Driving from Venice to Umbria- where to rent a car?
 

Next month I am making a trip to Italy for 15 days. I am arriving in Venice and flying back from Rome. I am staying 2 nights in Venice and want to rent a car on the third day to drive to Umbria. I will use the car probably for 3-5 days to make day trips to different areas and wil return it in Rome. I don't think I will need a car for the rest of the trip, I plan to use public transportation.

Where would be the best place to rent a car in Venice or near Venice? and is there a car rental company that anyone can recommend?

This is my first trip to Italy and any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

www.autoeurope.com
Pick up at Piazzale Roma--the transport hub for Venice at the end of Grand Canal. Drop in Orvieto and train into Rome--about 1:10 north.
Call for your booking at 800-223-5555

A couple of comments:

Why would you drive to Umbria? I'd take a train to someplace like Foligno and rent a car there.

If you must rent the car in Venice there are several agencies at the parking garage near Piazza Roma. (All the usual suspects.)

I, likewise, wouldn't drive to Rome either. The train from Orvieto to Rome is a one hour trip. Just my $.02.

We picked up a car in Venice one week ago today and dropped it off at Florence airport on Monday.

The main rental agencies in Piazzale Roma are Avis, Hertz, Europcar and, finally, Sicily By Car, a rather dodgy enterprise to whom we were sent by AutoEurope.

We had a bad time of it when the Sicily By Car agent said they had no trace of our reservation and would not release the car (despite our having the e-coupon with proof of payment and reservation confirmation) until someone in Palermo gave the OK, wh took an hour.....

{FYI: AutoEurope is the car-rental consolidator/ distributor whom someone on Fodor's will, in the next few hours, recommend that you use.}

If you go through AutoEurope, I suggest you call their toll-free number in Maine, USA and talk to someone direct. They are very helpful and can, for example, walk you through the contract and advise of any hidden charges and such.

They seem, however, to have dropped Hertz from their lineup. A pity, as Hertz, from whom we have rented frequently in Italy, incl. from Venice, is a good company that often does not charge a drop off fee for one-way rentals, providing the drop-off is somewhere major. Hertz is a relatively high-cost supplier, however.

DRIVING IN ITALY & SOUTHERN EUROPE

Q. SHOULD WE DRIVE IN ITALY?
A. Of course you should if your driving skill & confidence would allow you to drive a rental car in Vermont, Colorado or California. But, be advised of these tips:
* Avoid driving in the major cities except for picking up or dropping cars
* Have good maps—study them in advance—and have a GOOD NAVIGATOR.
* Stay in the right lane except when passing and use your rear view mirrors

Q. WHAT CAR SHOULD I GET AND WHERE DO I GET IT?
A. It is best to rent your car before you leave for Europe. The best source we have found is www.autoeurope.com [800-223-5555] who is a broker for several car vendors. They will quote you prices to include the variables that are often omitted by others, such as unlimited mileage, mandatory insurance coverage with some deductibles, and VAT taxes. It is wise to compare prices and coverage with their sister company at www.kemwel.com. Autoeurope will match any comparable quote, and are famous for their customer satisfaction if problems do arise with the vendor. The best model will depend on your needs, but for best value we suggest you select a compact car with manual transmission. Automatics are available but will cost you about 30% more and may limit your model options & pick up locations.

Q. ARE ITALIAN DRIVERS AS CRAZY AS I HAVE HEARD?
A. Yes & no! They are certainly aggressive, but they are also more skilled than many USA drivers—both are a function of necessity. Italy is one of the most crowded countries in the world and the drivers have evolved these characteristics
* They are notorious tailgaters. If that bothers you, pull over and let them past.
* On the AUTOSTRADE they will drive fast, but will stay in the right lane except when passing and will use their blinkers when passing—YOU SHOULD TOO !
* They will often pass on 2-lane roads with traffic coming. Frankly, they expect you, and the oncoming car, to adjust to the shoulder and make 3 lanes of traffic.

OTHER ROAD TIPS FOR YOUR DRIVING SANITY:
1. Learn the meaning of the sign “ SENSO UNICO” and take heed [ONE WAY ].
2. Be sure to get your ticket when you enter the AUTOSTADA system & be prepared to pay the toll when you exit it [ rule of thumb—300 km=15 Euro]. You can use your credit card in the VIA lane at the toll both, or buy a debit VIACARD in advance.
3. Do NOT attempt to follow road numbers—that will frustrate you. But, do pay attention to the directional signs that point to your destination [ TO MONTALCINO]. And, be aware if that road leads eventually to a larger city [ ROMA—SIENA ETC.]
4. Unless you have a diesel car, you will want to fill the tank with benzina from the green pump. Most stations will pump gas for you and will take credit cards.

NOTE: As of 2005, an International Drivers Permit[IDP] is required in Italy.
You can obtain them from your local AAA office. You will need a valid US driver’s license, two passport photos, and $15. The photos can be taken at the AAA office.

If your plan is to go straight from, say, Orvieto to a Rome airport then fly home, dropping the car at that airport makes sense. If you're planning to stay in Rome, DRJ's right. Drop the car in - as it might be - Orvieto, then get the train to Rome.

Depending on your plans, DRJ might also be right about picking the car up in Umbria or Tuscany. The Venice-Umbria motorway's no fun (and rarely scenic, and the train's better for seeing what scenery there is anyway), and it's astonishingly time-consuming to turn off at, say, Parma, find somewhere to park, walk into town and see a bit of the place then get back to the A1.

I wanted to add to this post as we too will be renting a car in Umbria. I found that through autoeurope.com that if you rent the car for only two days you must pay for three as they do not rent cars from the smaller towns for such a short period. So far I have not found anyone that will. Good luck on your search and I agree that training down into Umbria a bit is a good idea.

tt

A few years back we picked up a car in Venice at the Piazzale Roma, drove to Ravenna, saw the mosaics and spent the night, then moved on, stopped at Gubbio, and drove to our base in Umbria south of Perugia. We had plenty of time and I remember this as a pleasant trip.